The surge in the demand for fossil fuels in developing counties such as China and India and the VAT on fuel have pushed up the price not only of petrol but also fuel we use for heating. Now it may be time to think of becoming more environmentally aware, not only to save our planet but to help our household finances.

The recent surge in the price of domestic fuel means our electricity and gas is destined to become much more expensive.

The thinking is that if we all continue using fuel at the current rate, it may run out. The irony is that there is plenty of fuel in the ground, but the industry is banking on the fact we will not change the way we use this resource so it will become more scarce, more valuable and more expensive.

We have the option of fitting solar panels or wind turbines to our homes or businesses but this is still expensive. Solar panels, for example, cost about £7,000 to fit to a domestic property. There are Government grants, but it is still a fairly expensive outlay for the average family struggling to make ends meet.

In a future where electricity and gas reach record levels it will only be the very wealthy who will be able to cling to this old technology. Rather than society descending into a "Mad Max"

scenario, where we fight to the death over the limited supplies of fossil fuel, it is far more probable that people will choose to fit turbines, solar panels and other devices to avoid exorbitant prices for domestic power supply. These happen to be greener alternatives but if they are markedly cheaper then people will not care that their new technology is better for the planet - they will just care they are saving money.

Evenutally green power will mean cheap power. So we are left with a situation where the environmental lobby appears to have won - not because it argued, forced or railroaded the rest of us into their way of thinking but because the rest of us have realised that switching to a green agenda actually makes far more economic sense.

  • William Dartnall, Western Road, Brighton